Analysis of the Leadership Issues in the The Lion King - Movie Review Example

Introduction Leadership is one of the most important aspects of any success that a group of people achieve. Different people in a team have different ideas, different opinions, different talents and different qualities. For a successful achievement of any goal that an organization or a team sets for itself, what is important is to harmonize these individual differences and work towards an achievement of a common goal. However, it is not an easy task to drive a team of different people to work towards a common goal. Only a person with strong leadership qualities is capable of achieving this goal. The question is, what are those qualities that make a strong leader? Why is it that some leaders are loved and respected by their followers forever while others fail to maintain the faith from their followers? The answer lies in their leadership styles. The movie “The Lion King”, is an excellent example of different leadership styles (1994). Through the characters of Mufasa, Scar and Simba, the movie has clearly and distinctly described the qualities that make a strong and a weak leader. Mufasa : An example of Transformational leadership style Leadership can be defined as “an influence relationship among leaders and followers who intend real changes that reflect their mutual purpose.” (Rost 1991). This definition shows that a relationship is developed between a leader and the followers only when they have a common goal to achieve (Rost 104). A relationship cannot be developed if the goals of the leader and the followers differ. In the movie ‘The lion king’, Mufasa is able to gain respect and love from his followers because he is able to understand their needs and works towards the fulfillment of those needs harmoniously. Mufasa displays a transformational leadership style through the quality of the relationship that he develops with his followers. A strong leader is the one who is able to form a relationship with his followers not on the basis of expectations but on the basis of trust and understanding. Transformational leaders take effort in nurturing the sense of self worth in the followers and boosting their self-esteem (Bass 1998). When the followers realise that their individual qualities are being recognised and nurtured by their leader, they feel that their individual needs are being taken care of. They feel enthusiastic and energetic under the guidance of such leader and hence, commit themselves to the achievement of goal in a genuine way. They are willing to give their best in an effort to reach their purpose (Bass 1998). In the movie ‘The lion king’, Mufasa displays every quality of a transformational leader (1994). He is aware of everything that is happening in his kingdom. He keeps the check on every small event happening in his kingdom through a morning report given by Zazu (1994). This shows that he cares about his followers and knows that it is his responsibility to spend time in understanding their needs. Mufasa sets a very high standard of moral and ethics in his kingdom. Through the concept of ‘circle of life’, he explains to his son that life is a delicate balance between the different creatures that exists (1994). Hence, he has to respect everything and everyone that exists in his kingdom (1994). No one is inferior or superior. Everyone is unique. Hence, a leader should respect not only the big animals like elephants and tigers but also respect small creatures like ants and insects that live in the kingdom (1994). Mufasa tells Simba that a king can live a happy life only when all the animals in the kingdom live in harmony and enjoy the freedom of choice (1994). Mufasa respects every individual in his kingdom and encourages them to make the best of their life. Even when he knows that his brother Scar is against him and does not think good of him, Mufasa does not kill him. He always gives him a chance to change his nature. This shows that Mufasa does not take disadvantage of his position and knows the limitations and responsibilities of his position. His attitude towards his brother and the way he protects his followers from the greedy hyenas develops a deep faith and respect about him in the hearts of his followers.. Following are the important qualities that help the transformational leaders to achieve a great success in their efforts (Bass & Avolio 1994). 1. Idealised influence: Transformational leaders set an example through their conduct and their style (Bass & Avolio 1994). They gain the respect and faith of their followers by making them realise that they are an important aspect of the team and without them, the achievement of the goal is not possible. Mufasa is idealised by his followers because he displays a responsible behavior, maturity and respect for all the individuals (The lion king 1994). 2. Inspirational motivation: Transformational leader sets very high goals for his team and challenges the followers to perform beyond their expectations (Bass & Avolio 1994). This challenge creates a feeling of team spirit, meaningfulness and creativity in the followers (Bass & Avolio 1994). They feel motivated to work harder and are inspired to tap their potential to the fullest. Mufasa’s goal for his kingdom is to make every individual creature in the kingdom to respect each other and to live in harmony with each other despite of the individual differences (The lion king 1994). Through his own respectable and loving behaviour towards other animals, he inspires and motivates his followers to forget the differences and live in harmony (The lion king 1994). 3. Intellectual stimulation: Transformational leader stimulates the intellectual ability of his followers by consistently challenging their old beliefs, rigid thinking patterns and assumptions about life (Bass & Avolio 1994). Transformational leader believes that adopting a new way of thinking can help people develop a fresh outlook to the problems and hence, can help in solving the problems easily. Mufasa stimulates Simba’s intellectual ability by letting him know that his belief that ‘kings can do anything they want to’, is not a right belief (1994). He tells Simba that even though kings have a luxury of ruling his followers, there is much more to him than just getting things done his own way (1994). He takes Simba on a tour of his kingdom and shows him how every animal in the kingdom plays an important role in the development of the kingdom (1994). According to him, if the king thinks only about himself, then the balance of the kingdom will be lost and he will lose the trust of his followers (1994). Hence, the right way to lead is to realise that everyone and everything that exists in the kingdom is interdependent and hence, should be nurtured and respected (1994). This intellectual stimulation helps Simba understand the true nature of the leadership (1994). In this way, transformational leaders help to bring a shift in the thinking patterns of his followers and make them take a positive and healthy approach towards life. 4. Individualised consideration: Transformational leaders know that every individual belonging to the team is an important aspect of the team. He takes great efforts in mentoring, channelising and tapping the potential of every individual in the team. In the movie ‘The lion king’, Mufasa understands the need of mentoring his son Simba as a future king (1994). He takes great efforts in making Simba learn what leadership is all about. He knows that leaders are made, not born. Transformational leaders take timely steps to mentor every individual in the team for future roles (Bass & Avolio 1994).. However, the most important quality that makes transformational leaders highly successful in their efforts is the quality of emotional intelligence. Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence can be defined as “ the potential to be aware of and use one’s own emotions in communication with oneself and others and to manage and motivate oneself and others through understanding emotions.” (Wharam 2009). Leaders who have emotional intelligence can take better decisions in life as they are guided by their gut feelings when communicating with others (Wharam 2009). The ability to understand other people’s feeling make them understand the needs of their followers and hence, help them to connect with them deeply. Mufasa displays great emotional intelligence as he values and respects the feelings and needs of others. On the basis of his emotional intelligence, he succeeds in winning the hearts of his followers (1994). On the contrary, his brother Scar shows a lack of emotional intelligence and displays the qualities of transactional leadership. Scar : An example of Transactional leadership style: Transactional leadership is based on ‘conditions’ and fulfillment of certain requirements rather than on mutual benefit and common goals (Bass 1998) . Transactional leader promises his followers a reward if they do what he wants them to do and threatens them with punishment if they do not follow his instructions (Bass 1998). In the movie ‘The lion king’, Scar displays the qualities of transactional leadership style (1994). His selfish intentions and greed to acquire the kingdom makes him promise hyenas that if they help him in becoming a king, he will see to it that ‘they will never go hungry again’ (1994). Selfish motives and self centred attitude are the qualities displayed in transactional leadership style. Scar shows a lack of emotional intelligence by failing to understand that if he does not fulfill the promise that he is making, he will face rejection from his followers. He thinks only of his own needs and uses the hyenas to fulfill his own selfish motive. Rather than challenging Mufasa face-to-face, he uses manipulative method to kill him and to acquire his kingdom (1994). These qualities of dishonesty, manipulation and selfishness lead to a revolt from his own followers and finally, results in his death. Conclusion: The movie ‘The lion king’ describes how a leader with transformational leadership style and emotional intelligence is capable of ruling the kingdom in a harmonious and healthy way. It shows how a capable leader can drive every individual in the team to contribute his potential in the achievement of a common goal. Mufasa finds his strength in his followers and believes in interdependence. Mufasa is an excellent example of a transformational leader and hence, his qualities should be followed by every leader who desires consistent success in every goal that he sets. Reference Bass, B.M., 1998. Transformational leadership: Industrial, military, and educational impact. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Bass, B.M., & Avolio, B.J., 1994. Improving organizational effectiveness through transformational leadership. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publication, Inc. Rost, J. c., 1991. Leadership for the twenty-first century. Westport: Praeger Publishers. The Lion King, 1994. [Film] Directed by Roger Allers & Rob Minkoff. USA: Walt Disney Features Animation. Wharam, J., 2009. Emotional Intelligence: Journey to the centre of Your Self. UK: O Books. Read More